My name is Debbie and I’m a social media consultant. In 1999, I too was ‘New to Waterloo’. I moved here from Dallas, Texas to marry a guy from Waterloo named Tony. 14 years and two sons later, Waterloo is home.

Aside from the learning curve that all Americans have when we move to Canada (like how to convert the weather forecast from Celsius to Fahrenheit in my head) I had to learn my way around town. I discovered that you can literally drive north, south, east and west on King Street, in the spring you can smell smog and farm fertilizer at the same time, and the surrounding farm country of Waterloo Region must be where God himself vacations in the summer.

On New to Waterloo, I’ll help you figure things out, too. Think of me as the neighbor on the other side of the fence who will tell you what only us locals know. I’ll help you get acquainted with our neighborhoods, our lifestyle and our events. After you’ve moved in, check back here often. I’ll pass on the tips you want to know, like the best place to park for the Canada Day fireworks at Columbia Lake. I’ll be honest with my advice and generous with my time.

All I ask in return is that you occasionally tell me how wonderful I am.